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Public Safety

Comic-Con Tourist Killed By Car Near Convention Center

A 53-year-old "Twilight'' fan in town to attend Comic-Con International 2012 was struck and killed by a station wagon today as she tried to run across West Harbor Drive to get to the San Diego Convention Center.

The man driving the Subaru Outback had a green light when his westbound vehicle hit the woman at Harbor Drive and Fifth Avenue shortly before 9:30 a.m., according to San Diego police.

"Apparently the pedestrian, as she went (along) the crosswalk, stumbled and fell and struck the vehicle as it passed by her,'' SDPD Sgt. Ron Glass told reporters.

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Medics took the woman to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Authorities did not immediately release her name, but fellow "Twilight Saga'' enthusiasts identified her on social-networking websites as Gisela Gagliardi of Kingston, N.Y.

She reportedly had been waiting in line with friends off and on since Sunday to attend a panel discussion on the latest installment in the vampire-movie series at this year's Comic-Con convention, which begins Wednesday evening.

A stretch of Harbor Drive was closed for several hours to allow traffic officers to document the scene of the accident.

KPBS has created a public safety coverage policy to guide decisions on what stories we prioritize, as well as whose narratives we need to include to tell complete stories that best serve our audiences. This policy was shaped through months of training with the Poynter Institute and feedback from the community. You can read the full policy here.